(image from https://impact.morehouse.edu/)
The Morehouse College Office of Institutional Advancement launched a loyal donor recognition initiative starting on Homecoming Day 2026 last weekend. Supporters with a consistent record of annual giving will be added to two distinguished philanthropic societies.
Data from the school in its 2025-2026 annual report shows 3,910 alumni donors contributed more than $10 million during fiscal year 2026. Annual fundraising is heavily driven by corporate partners and philanthropic foundations. For instance, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation recently provided a $16.5 million gift toward graduation gap scholarships.
A reimagined Loyalty Society recognizes benefactors with a record of supporting Morehouse for at least five years, and the 1867 Annual Giving Society highlights those who generously donate $500 to $1,000 or more annually through recurring gifts or a lump-sum contribution.
“The Loyalty Society and 1867 Annual Giving Society establish a new tradition of recognition that celebrates both faithful stewardship and philanthropic leadership,” Willie West, director of Annual Giving at Morehouse College, said via a statement. “They are more than donor societies. They are communities of individuals who understand that Morehouse’s future is strengthened year by year, gift by gift, generation by generation. Years of giving build a legacy and provide consistent resources for the College that strengthen opportunities for students, advance academic excellence, and help to ensure that Morehouse remains one of the world’s most influential institutions.”
The new Loyalty Society honors those whose sustained giving demonstrates that loyalty to Morehouse is measured by years of intentional investment in elevating the college’s operations, scholarships, and academic and athletic programs. It is inspired by the legacy of Morehouse’s sixth president, Benjamin Elijah Mays, Ph.D., whose nearly three decades of visionary leadership and commitment to excellence helped transform Morehouse.
Donors with consistent giving at the following levels will be celebrated:
- MEMBER – 5 or more consecutive years of giving to less than a decade … Membership will be granted to donors who have given consecutively or have at least a cumulative total of five separate years of giving and make a current gift or recurring gift this academic fiscal year.)
- LUX – 10 or more consecutive years of giving to less than two decades
Derived from the Morehouse motto, Et Facta Est Lux (“And There Was Light”), Lux recognizes donors whose sustained commitment illuminates pathways for future generations.
- MYSTIQUE – 20 or more consecutive years of giving to fewer than 25 years
This is reserved for those whose generosity has become an enduring part of the Morehouse story.
- CROWN – 25 or more consecutive years of giving
Crown members represent a rare and distinguished community whose steadfast support has strengthened Morehouse across generations, earning donors’ special recognition among the college’s most faithful benefactors.
The 1867 Annual Giving Society of Morehouse College was named in honor of Morehouse’s founding year. It is intended to be the premier annual giving recognition program for supporters who have chosen to make Morehouse one of their highest philanthropic priorities. It recognizes donors whose annual philanthropy demonstrates exceptional commitment to the College’s mission and future. It inspires continued investment through attainable yet aspirational giving levels that encourage deeper engagement and lifelong philanthropic leadership.
The membership levels include:
- GOLD (Graduates of the Last Decade) Alumni, which recognizes the leadership and generosity of Morehouse’s newest alumni who contribute $500 or more annually (recurring gifts of $45 monthly)
- 1867 Annual Giving Society for alumni, parents, and friends who contribute $1,000 or more annually (recurring gifts of $85 monthly)
The new societies join Morehouse’s existing societies for generous benefactors, including The Legacy Society, which honors those who contribute to the College through a planned gift/estate plan, and the Benefactors Lifetime Giving Society, which recognizes lifetime giving more than $100,000.
